[stylist] Example 1: Press release on Blind Driver Challenge attendee from state afiliate
Donna Hill
penatwork at epix.net
Thu Feb 3 22:31:32 UTC 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jim Antonacci, President
National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania
42 S. 15th St., Philadelphia, 19102
(215) 988-0888
president at nfbp.org <mailto:president at nfbp.org>
Donna Hill, media relations
(570) 833-2708
dwhill at epix.net <mailto:dwhill at epix.net>
*Retired Philly Teacher/Blind Leader Attends Historic Blind Driver Demo
in Daytona Tomorrow*
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (January 28,2011): Denice Brown (52, North
Philadelphia), a retired Philadelphia school teacher and President of
the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
of Pennsylvania (NFB of PA), will represent Pennsylvania's blind
citizens tomorrow at the Blind Driver Challenge ^(TM) (BDC)
demonstration at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Jan. 29,
2011 (11:30 a.m.)
Congressman John Mica, (r-Florida) Chairman of the House Transportation
and Infrastructure Committee, will hand the keys to a Ford Escape to a
blind driver before the Rolex 24. Using ground-breaking nonvisual
interface technology designed by Virginia Tech, the blind person will
drive solo in a demonstration. The of the BDC is to develop nonvisual
interface technology for use in consumer goods, which will aid blind and
sighted alike, according to NFB of PA President James Antonacci (Willow
Grove).
Denice can't wait. She witnessed the first BDC demonstration as a
volunteer mentor at the 2009 Youth Slam (NFB's science camp) at the
University of Maryland. She is one of 350 NFB members heading for
Daytona, and is the only person from Philadelphia in attendance.
"I am attending this event," she said on Monday, "to get a first-hand
look at the future. This is history in the making, and I felt that I had
to live the moment in person."
According to Mark Riccobono, Executive Director of the NFB's Jernigan
Institute (the only research and training facility on blindness issues
run by blind professionals), the BDC began in 2004 with a challenge from
NFB's President, Dr. Marc Maurer to America's universities to develop a
blind-drivable car. The challenge is not to build a car that will drive
itself, but one which can collect information necessary to drive safely
and transmit that information in real time through nonvisual interfaces.
Dr. Dennis Hang, Director of Virginia Tech's RoMeLa accepted the
challenge and has been working with the NFB ever since.
The Ford Escape in Saturday's demonstration has /DriveGrip/ technology
in special gloves. Sensors on the knuckles of the four fingers of each
hand receive vibrations alerting the driver to turn. /SpeedGrip/ strips
built into the seat send vibrations up the back and down the legs to
indicate the need for changes in acceleration, according to Anil Lewis,
NFB's Director of Strategic Communications and a member of the drive team.
###
About the National Federation of the Blind: With more than 50,000
members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most
influential membership organization of blind people in the United
States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy,
education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence
and self-confidence.
It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of
the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National
Federation of the
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the
United States for the blind led by the blind.
--
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